UPDATE: T-Mobile is shutting down TVision in April 2021 and partnering with YouTube TV and Philo to offer discounts to subscribers. Compare the best live TV streaming plans here.
YouTube TV is facing new competition from T-Mobile’s live TV streaming service called TVision. But is TVision really a suitable replacement for YouTube TV?
T-Mobile certainly thinks so, but I have my own thoughts after extensively testing both streaming TV services.
YouTube TV vs. TVision Comparison
This article will review the key features of TVision and YouTube TV. I’ll take a look at the plans and pricing, channels lineups, DVR, compatible devices and multiple streams.
Let’s dive in to the comparison, starting with the plans and pricing!
Table of Contents:
Plans and Pricing
- YouTube TV: $64.99 per month
- TVision Live: $40 to $60 per month
- TVision Vibe: $10 per month
YouTube TV is $64.99 per month after its latest price hike in the summer of 2020. When the service first launched a few years ago, it was only $35 per month.
The monthly price gradually increased over time as YouTube TV added new networks to its list of channels.
TVision is marketing its plans toward people who may be upset with those price hikes. Here’s an excerpt from T-Mobile’s news release announcing TVision:
“And even the streaming services designed to help you cut the cord with live TV have begun to look a lot like Big Cable. Over time, they’ve become more and more bloated, forcing you to pay more and more for additional channels, especially if you want live news and sports. In fact, five of the largest cord-cutting providers have raised prices 15 times in the last three years, some almost doubling the price from when they first launched.”
T-Mobile’s TVision has four main bundles. Its cheapest plan is TVision Vibe. It’s $10 per month and includes 30+ live and on-demand networks that focus on entertainment programming.
If you want sports, cable news and local channels, TVision’s Live TV, Live TV+ and Live Zone plans are $40 to $60 a month.
| TVision Vibe | $10/month |
| TVision Live TV | $40/month |
| TVision Live TV+ | $50/month |
| TVision Live Zone | $60/month |
Shortly after its launch, TVision began offering the Vibe plan at no additional charge to everyone who signed for one of the three Live plans. Details here.
YouTube TV offers a free trial period of one or two weeks, but there’s no free trial with TVision.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Only T-Mobile wireless customers were allowed to sign up for TVision when it launched in November 2020. The service will expand to everyone sometime in 2021. Learn more here.
Channel Lineups
- YouTube TV: 85+ channels
- TVision Live plans: Mostly sports, news and locals
- TVision Vibe: Entertainment channels
YouTube TV has the best overall channel lineup. You get 85+ networks from the leading sports, cable news and entertainment networks. Local channels are also available.
As YouTube TV has raised its prices, some customers have complained that it added networks they didn’t want.
That’s where TVision comes in.
TVision Vibe includes entertainment networks like AMC, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, MTV, OWN, TLC and more.
Meanwhile, the TVision Live plans (Live TV, Live TV+ and Live Zone) feature live sports, cable news and local stations in many cities. However, CBS is not included.
The more you pay, the more sports networks you’ll get: NFL Network is in Live TV+ and NFL RedZone is in Live Zone.
After you finish reading this review, I encourage you to go directly to YouTube TV and TVision’s websites to confirm the local channels available in your area.
In addition to the broadcast networks, additional regional sports networks may be offered.
Cloud DVR
- YouTube TV: Unlimited DVR
- TVision Live plans: 100 hours of DVR storage
- TVision Vibe: $5 a month extra
YouTube TV’s secret sauce is its unlimited DVR. You can record as many shows as you want and those recordings will be kept for up to nine months.
YouTube TV’s DVR is not only better than what TVision offers, it’s the best in all of streaming.
With TVision, you get 100 hours of cloud DVR storage if you sign up for any of the Live plans. Recordings can also be kept for up to nine months.
If you subscribe to TVision Vibe only, DVR storage is not included. It’s an extra $5 per month.
Compatible Devices
- YouTube TV: All major streaming media players
- TVision: Roku not supported at launch
YouTube TV supports all of the major devices to stream to a TV set. They include Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Chromecast with Google TV.
At launch, TVision will work with most of those streaming media players — but not Roku.
TVision has also launched its own Android-powered device called the TVision HUB. The $50 device plugs into the back of your TV and comes with a remote that’s optimized for the TVision service.
I tested the TVision HUB and liked it, but it’s not necessary. You can use any compatible device.
If you want to learn more about the TVision HUB, I go into more detail in my full review of TVision. I also share a demonstration in this YouTube video.
Multiple Streams
- YouTube TV: 3 streams
- TVision Live plans: 3 streams
- TVision Vibe plan: 2 streams
If you have multiple people in your household who want to stream at the same time, you’ll want to find a streaming TV service that allows simultaneous streams.
Fortunately, YouTube TV and TVision let you stream on up to three devices at the same time.
However, there’s a catch with TVision. Only the TVision Live plans allow three simultaneous streams, while the Vibe plan includes two streams at once.
Although multiple streams are allowed, these services are intended for one household per account.
Final Thought
If you’re a YouTube TV subscriber who’s fed up with the price hikes, TVision may be a money-saving solution.
However, my gut tells me that most households will prefer YouTube TV’s channel lineup. YouTube TV also has a better DVR and supports more devices than TVision.
Have you considered signing up for TVision? Let me know in the comments below!
YES YES YES a la carte TV! I have been saying this for years.
I just stumbled on your article on YouTube TV vs T-Vision, dated 1/22/2021 where you compare the two. I’m glad I did because you offer very compelling insight on how to decide between the two mediums.
I am currently streaming YouTube TV to free myself of Cable.
But, I went to a T- Mobile store recently to get a better deal on my current cell phone plan that I have with Verizon.
I am making the switch to T Mobile for cell service for considerable savings and more offerings.
I only learned then from the T mobile associate that they also offer their own TV streaming service.
Your current comparison between the two and what channels they offer is not accurate at this point in time. You state that T Vision does not have some of the channels that YouTube TV provides. Not true.
I can review the lineup. It was accurate as of the publication. Those things change frequently, especially with T-Mobile since it had an early spat with content providers.
I’ve tried both YTTV and TVision for a good amount of time and I like both of them and can’t really go wrong either way. I think TVision has the better channel lineup and better flexibility with your package but some bugs still exist. I get some, albeit minor, buffering here and there with TVision on Fire Stick and don’t really get any buffering from YTTV on Fire Stick and on Roku. YTTV has better DVR space, but navigation is a little better on TVision. If TVision gets a little better with less buffering, which will come with updates, then TVision is better overall but right now it’s pretty equal.
Interesting! You say that YouTube TV has ESPN2 and 3, but I can’t see them in my lineup.
Is that different from state to state? I am in California.
I do like YouTube TV, but I am really annoyed of the price increases, mainly due to the fact that we are not watching the new channels, so we kind of pay for nothing.
TVision looks a good option to me.
ESPN3 is via the ESPN app and should work with YTTV credentials — at least at last check. I’ll be re-subscribing soon and can check. ESPN2 should definitely be there. Let me know how you like TVision.
Sorry, I just double checked and you’re right ESPN2 is there!
I have no idea how I missed that!
I currently am testing out Tvision. I’m a long-time Youtube TV subscriber but this last fall decided to add Philo to the mix to get some Christmas movies through Hallmark. So, I’m basically paying $73 + $22 ($95) for what I want. I’m a TMobile customer so I get “almost” everything for $45. Here’s what I lose: 30 fps vs 60 fps (causes some lags with high action), no CBS at all (makes no sense) and all of the content is live only (with YTTV, you can stop and come back to a show, etc). With TV, it’s live only (unless you save it).
So far, though, the picture quality has been great and $45/month is, well, worth it.
Thanks Ken. If you ever go back to YouTube TV, try Frndly TV for Hallmark. It’s $5.99 or $7.99. Hopefully TVision will switch to 60 fps at some point.
Not seeing a big difference in Line-ups. If you do Tvision Live Zone you get the Vibe thrown in for free. So for $5 less you are losing unlimited dvr and that’s basically it. And you are gaining Hallmark channels, DIY, and some extra MTV/Nick channels. So not sure why you kept referring to the channel line-ups
Well — no CBS with TVision is huge for many people. And when TVision launched (and when I originally wrote this article), Vibe was not thrown in free. They started doing that after objections from programmers.
It is sad that none of these steaming services offer the local Fox Sports networks. I like YouTubeTV, but I am not sure switching to TMO’s new service makes sense at this point. I would likely switch to a streaming service that has the Local Sports networks.
AT&T TV is the only one that does offer FOX RSNs right now. The $85/month Choice plan has a no-contract option.
@Bung,
Since Michael has elected to entirely ignore your important input, perhaps you could elaborate upon the FBS element and the sports viewing experience. I am currently a YouTube TV subscriber, but they are quarreling with Fox Regional Sports Networks (Sinclair) and have dropped them and thus no local sports through those networks, forcing me to look elsewhere like ATT&T Now, the coming standalone Fox Sports Go App (not requiring local TV subscription) or TVision as I’m also a long time T-Mobile customer.
Is there a quality degradation or other shortcoming for sports viewing; specifically those (Fox) regional networks?
TVision doesn’t carry Fox Regional Sports Networks. I have no information about 30FPS, but I’ve read it on some forums. I suspect Fox RSNs will be back on YouTube TV at some point, but I have no inside information.
Nothing at all about streaming quality here, which is a huge thing to ignore. Other reviews have pointed out the crucial difference in FPS, which makes watching live sports MUCH worse on TVision.
Thanks for reading my review
Do you know if YouTubeTV will be bringing back NESN. It was available when I signed up, but now they cancelled it. They both blame each other, but those of us in Boston can’t get Red Sox games without it.
It seems unlikely at this moment. Does AT&T TV (no contract) still have it?
Here’s a bright idea… Why not allow the end user to choose their preferred channels and then price out the service accordingly?
It’s the best idea! But the content providers won’t allow it — it would mean probably about half of the channels would disappear.